The Chamber Reopened
by theravensclaw
Summary: Natalie Lark is a young witch, working at a shop at New York City’s Zontal Alley and dreaming of higher prospects. Her dreams come true with a letter sent by Professor McGonagall, headmistress of Hogwarts, giving Natalie the chance to teach at her school.


First off, a HUGE thank you to ThePhreak for beta-ing this story. THANX!!! ;) Secondly this is my first fic so reviews would be great. Likes, dislikes, whatever! Feedback of any kind is great!

Chapter One Letters

Natalie glanced again at the envelope sitting on the kitchen table. Somewhere to her left, the dark brown owl flew out of the window, hooting happily to have succeeded in its task. She stared out of the window at the speck, flying high above the twin towers of New York City, growing ever fainter as the sun fell below the horizon. Her clear aquamarine eyes reflecting in the window made her avert her gaze. It fell on the clean dark wood of her kitchen table and then back onto the envelope that the owl had delivered. She walked over, sat down, and picked up the letter, tucking her light brown hair behind her ears as she went. Squinting at the front of the envelope, she pulled a thin wand out of her pocket and gave it a casual upward flick. Instantly, a light turned on over her head, bathing the small kitchen in a soft, warm glow.

"Miss Natalie Lark" was written on the thick parchment of the envelope in neat script. She turned it over and gave small frown at the Hogwarts crest, wondering why Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would be mailing her. She was twenty-two and had already received her magical education. She slit it open, and a letter fell out onto the table. She then picked it up, noticing that it was also made of the same heavy parchment.

i July 23, 2000

Dear Miss Lark,

In a recent meeting with Professor Soulitt, Headmistress of Salem Academy, I learned that you were looking for a job as a teacher. I am pleased to inform you that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Charms teacher, Professor Flitwick, retired at the end of last term, leaving that post available. While with Professor Soulitt, I reviewed your O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s, which are sufficient for the job. If you wish to fill the post, you should make an appointment with me for a job interview at your earliest convenience. (I am available anytime August 1-5 and 8th) Please send your reply to Salem Academy where Professor Soulitt will forward it to me with your records.

Hope to see you.

Sincerely,

Professor Minerva McGonagall

Headmistress of Hogwarts /i 

Excitement was rippling through Natalie, who reread the letter. She was so happy that her old Headmistress had recommended her; she would have never known about the job otherwise. She ran into her small bedroom and sat down at her desk. She picked up a quill and a notebook and tapped both with her wand.

"Dear Professor McGonagall," she dictated to the quill, which rose up in the air with the notebook and immediately started writing. "I would love to apply for the post and was wondering if we could meet-" She rummaged in a drawer for a moment before pulling out a battered calendar. "- on August 1st at 1PM. Sincerely, Natalie Lark." She grabbed the notebook and ripped off the front page, which she laid on her desk. She then pulled some heavy parchment, much like the kind she received, out of another drawer and laid it next to the other. Pulling out her wand, she pointed it at the notebook paper.

"Ortis Lacuna," she said clearly, and the words rose up, hovering about five inches above the paper and looking remarkably like alphabet soup. She swished her wand over the parchment and said, "Orcido!" The letters fell onto the parchment and formed back into the original words in neat, flowing cursive. Happy, she rolled up the letter and tied it into a scroll, walking back to the hallway that led to the kitchen.

On her way, she checked her appearance in the mirror hanging on the wall. She wasn't ugly, she decided, but just average. Her brown hair was straight and hung a little below her shoulders. She was thin, average height, and had high cheekbones. Her favorite part of her appearance was her vivid blue eyes. Taking in her cheeks, flushed from excitement, she smiled and walked the few short steps to the kitchen.

She placed the scroll on the counter and pointed her wand at the pot on the stove, which started bubbling. She passed the table and into her favorite room in the apartment, her comfortable living room. She often thought to herself that it was worth living on the top floor just for the fireplace, mostly when she was in the elevator, laden with groceries, waiting to get to the 20th floor. She walked past her cream-colored loveseat and out a sliding glass door onto the balcony.

What most people would probably define as "strange" about the balcony was the snowy owl sitting on the rail, not to mention the mahogany broomstick labeled "Firebolt" leaning against a patio chair. She looked out at the moon for a moment before addressing the owl.

"Bianco, I have a job for you," she started. The owl hooted and hopped onto her shoulder. She took him in the house and strode to the kitchen. While tying the scroll to his leg, she said, "Now listen, I need you to take this letter to Salem Academy and then come back. Okay?" Bianco hooted and gave her finger an affectionate nip before flying out of the window and into the night.

She sighed happily, but now butterflies were fluttering in her stomach. "Will I get the job?" she wondered aloud. Now that she thought about it, she decided that her chances were slim. "What am I?" she thought to herself, "A young woman, barely of age, with absolutely no teaching experience." She walked back to the living room and sat in the loveseat by the fireplace, still thinking nervously. "How will I look next to older, wiser, more qualified contenders? But then Professor McGonagall did take the time and initiative to write to me specially…" She got up, shaking her head. She would just have to make a good impression, and to do that she would have to visit Zontal Alley and buy some new robes. With the thought of shopping tomorrow, she groaned, then cursed under her breath when the sound of soup boiling over reached her ears. Natalie raced into the kitchen and, with a few spells, put everything right. She got out a bowl and ladled some of the steaming broth into it, making a list of thing to buy as she ate.

Remembering the letter, she smiled, not letting something as trivial as shopping get in the way of her excitement.

Note: This story can be ready at fanfiction. by theravensclaw or at by theravensclaw.


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